Together They Stand
by Kelly Dragon
Summary: All found each other in their darkest times of need. All felt the need to do something against the growing tide of darkness. Around every turn is danger and a chance of death. How can a healer, archer, rogue and a swordsman win against a man who has proclaimed himself as the god of Destruction and his ever growing army who only wish to kill and enslave all of the lower continent.
1. Chapter 1

"Kelly, run, get out of here!" Mother screamed at me as the raid continued on.

"Mother, I can help you! I can help every injured person here!" I shouted back over the commotion of the fighting.

My mother whipped towards me with a death glare before yelling at me to run one more time before returning back to the fight she was fighting. Any protest I had died on my tongue at what happened next. My mother, the strongest person I have known, getting run through by one of the many bandits. The evil chuckle that came out of that vile man caused every hair on my body to stand on end.

"Now, now, we can't have all the people go running off, can we?" He stated with another evil chuckle. My eyes widened at him and every bandit around our small village. I turned to run only to find Sophie running towards me crying.

Her once platinum blond hair was now streaked with blood and mud. Her once happy-go-lucky attitude was replaced with nothing but terror and sadness. Her twelve year old frame shook like a leaf from fear. The words that tumbled out of her mouth broke my heart. "They killed my mommy and sissy," she kept saying over and over like a prayer.

I grabbed her hand in mine and ran into the woods that most people feared and many didn't return from. We ran 'till nightfall and decided to stop and make camp up in the trees, away from the monsters and the bandits on the ground. We had nothing but the clothes on our back so it was going to be a long cold night. I looked at Sophie to see her staring at the full moon through a break in the canopy she just stared with a blank face. The horrors of the day had changed the once carefree bubbly girl into someone that I could barely know. She never spoke a word after that day and never showed emotion.

Ever noise in the woods caused us to wake up that night and many more nights to come worrying if the bandits we were running from had finally caught up to us. For the next two months we wondered the woods alone. We finally came across another settlement that I believed was a day away from ours.

We asked around if any survivors came here but every person we asked answered the question the similar way... "No there hasn't been any travelers here for more than four months and they had not heard of any attacks on any villages around them either". Sophie gave me a look that gave me the feeling that she was saying we had to go back to that place. What we found would haunt my dreams for years to come.

the battle that we had survived that awful day would never had prepared us for what we found. Neither side had won the battle the day we ran from that place. Both sides lost to an unknown force that one day I would be fighting. Both sides were killed with an over amount of arrows and others frozen in to ice sculptures. Their faces showed nothing but agony and surprise. The grounds was stained red with blood that the rain could not erase. The unknown force let the bodies of the fallen were they laid as if they were just garbage with no meaning.

For the next month Sophie and I worked to bury every body in the ruins of our village. Every building was destroyed and was nothing but rumble. When we finished we left the village for the forest to reclaim.

For the next year and nine months we traveled all over Hellswamp finding nothing on the attack or hearing of another. For once in two years since that attack I was alone because Sophie disappeared from watch that very night. I never heard from her again or seen her for years to come.


	2. Chapter 2

"Thank you Miss" the elderly said softly.

"It's no problem Ma'am. I'm just doing what I do best" I said while smoothing the quilt around the elderly woman.

"You should head east to Sanddeep. They been having trouble with attacks recently"

"But if I leave you who will take my place to take care of you?" I asked with concern.

"I'm old child. I lived a full life. The men and women fight have not lived as long as I have. So go and let their mothers, wives, husbands, and fathers have them come home alive" the elderly woman commanded from her spot on the bed.

"You sound as if you know that feeling of family not coming home"

"I lost my husband and son on the same day for a war that could never be won the way they were fighting" she stated sadly before continuing "Now go before I chase you out of here with a broom"

With a chuckle is said "I'm going I'm going Granny"

As I closed the door I heard her yell "I am no one's Granny!"

Meanwhile in Sanddeep….

"We need to hold the line!" the militia commander shouted over the clashing so swords and the screams of those injured.

"Commander behind you! Watch Out!" Leisson yelled before quickly blocking an attack on her and rolling behind the commander to block the incoming blow. The heavy blow splintered the wooden shield but indeed stopped the deadly blow. Leisson grunted under the shield and pushed the blade up and went to swing her blade at the attackers. Her blade never hit it target because Micheal slammed his blade through the midsection of the attacker. The attacker fell limp against the wreckage of Leisson's shield.

"The least you can say is thank you Princess" he said with a smirk planted across his face.

"I had it handled Micheal" Leisson snapped at him while trying to remove the broken shield. With a snort he replied "Yea because you totally had it covered. A broken shield is totally having the situation covered."  
"It just broke Micheal while I was doing your job of protecting the commander!" Leisson said while sending a glare towards Micheal.

"Yea and now you are useless here Princess. You're here as a shield person not as a sword's men. Now get back to town like where the rest of the women are. It's where you belong! Not here not on a battlefield!" He yelled at Leisson in a commanding voice.

"Micheal! You are not the commanding officer here. I am and you will not command my Lt. Commander in any way, shape, or form. Do you understand me!" The Militia Commander yelled, making Micheal flinch.

"Yes sir" Micheal said through gritted teeth. He quickly turned and stormed towards the front lines angrily.

"How did those thieves even get to the camp? It's further away from the front lines than the military hospital and that was not even attacked." The Commander said while looking at the broken camp.

"I don't know sir. It is odd though that's for sure" Leisson said while also looking around.

With a sigh the Commander turned and asked "My son will never learn will he?" with a sad smile.

"Commander he is getting better. He's just cocky and thinks he knows everything" Leisson said while searching around the broken camp looking for a shield that was still usable.

"It will ta… Commander look out!" Leisson's eyes widen as she screamed. The reason she screamed was because of a boulder that was flying towards the camp. The Commander's head shot and he ran only a couple feet before the boulder landed. When the boulder landed the commander was flung from his feet from it very impact. He land a couple feet away from his spot.

As the commander hit the ground Leisson was already on a dead run towards the commander. His armor did not stop the bullet like rocks sent flying when the boulder hit the ground.

"Commander you're going to be okay. Please, please don't give up" Leisson begged above her commanding officer.

"Leisson I have had a great life I had four boys and now I get to see two again in Nui." He paused and grimaced in pain before continuing "Micheal has the drive to be a leader but he let his pride get in the way for him to command his soldiers' right" he started to have a coughing attack.

"Commander please you need to rest….." the Commander cut her off by gentle placing his hand on her knee to silence her. "Listen Leisson, you have been my Lt. Commander for years now since you were sixteen, and have become like a daughter to me" he coughed hard before he could continue "Please win this war against these Bandits. Keep the town safe and please tell Micheal he is going to be a great commander one day" He coughed once more "and please can you try and find the son I lost as a baby". With those last pleads the commander looked up at the cloud covered sky one last time before closing his eyes forever.

"Go be embraced by the goddess Nui Commander" Leisson said barely above a whisper as a tear ran down the side of her face.

 **Pov:?**

They shot off the catapult I need to disappear from sight. I quickly looked around trying to find a place I could disappear from the battlefield. I spotted the woods where the under growth was supper thick and hard to move through, a great place to hid out until the battle was over. I started to move towards the woods when…

"Hey sir! Where you going?"

Through gritted teeth I responded "To check the woods to see if there is any Bandits trying to sneak around to attack the main encampment again"

"You going alone? Wouldn't your family disapprove greatly? I should go with you those bandit are very powerful to go up against alone"

"No Curt you can go with me. This is to prove something to my family and I do not need your help" I yelled at him. I quickly turned and left a disbelief Curt behind as I disappeared into the thick undergrowth of the dark woods. As I made it a long ways in I looked back to make sure no one was following before I muttered "I'm coming my lord and nothing will stop me from doing so!"


	3. Chapter 3

"The rain always seems to follow me even outside of Hellswamp, it rain no no it freaking downpours." Kelly muttered to herself as she shifted the soaked cloak that weighed down on her slim shoulders. "This god damn place is dead quiet with no sound that sounds like this place is getting…" She didn't get to finish because an arrow came flying towards her. She quickly dodged. Her white armor flashed in and out of sight as she moved quickly through the light undergrowth that lined the road.

As she moved further away she heard this yelled behind her "Find that merchant we can't let the militia or that town get supplies!" with that thought she quickly ducked into the woods and grabbed her lute off her back.

"She went this way" one of the bandits yelled and ran after her deeper into the woods. As Kelly made it to a clearing she began to strum a song as the first bandit ran head long into the clearing. The bandit's body started to twist around quickly and ran back towards his comrades with his sword raised. The shouts of confusing started to fade away as Kelly ran further into the woods. Soon she broke from the tree line and she could hear the clash of swords from the battlefield. She quickly moved in to the battle and healing the militia men without bring to much attention to herself. She try to hurry towards what looked like an encampment. The hill that lead up to the encampment turned to mud and the soldiers were sliding up and down the hill as they moved. Other soldiers stood still in their steel plated armor with blank looks on their faces, or down right terrified. Kelly moved quickly passed all of them but she could still hear them muttering "it's all over we aren't going to win".

As Kelly crested the hill she seen into the broken camp. Only two people were in the camp, one laid completely still and the other was kneeling above it. Kelly stepped carefully into the camp unsure of what had happened. The kneeling figure sat unmoved as Kelly slowly approached them.

"Who are you and what do you want" with no emotion in Liesson's voice. Kelly jumped slightly at the sudden voice before softly saying "I'm just here to help that's all."

Liesson stood up from her kneeling position quickly before turning around and glaring towards the approaching figure. The heavy rain streamed down her face as she moved towards the stranger while gripping the hilt of her sheathed sword. "Every person here just 'wants' to help and some are even willing to give their lives. You an outsider to our lands and of our ways think you can just come barging in here like you know what is best! You probably never seen a real battle or even lost somebody close to you! So go back to whatever place you freaking came from!" Liesson screamed

With every word said changed Kelly's from one of calm to one of anger. "You think I had an easy relaxed life? DO YOU?! No I have never had an easy relaxed life in Freaking Hellswamp! All it is there is murders, death, and decay. This place on its worst day is way better than Hellswamp on it best days!. Oh and I have lost people! I had to watch my own mother get ran through by a bandit. I heard my friend chant over how her mother and brother was dead! I ran into the woods that night like a freaking coward and that reason drives me more than ever to stop what the hell killed my village before it takes other lives. Kelly screamed back at Liesson with anger burning in her eyes.

"then why focus on killing the bandits that killed your village" Liesson said angrily. Before Kelly could respond a feeling of dread filled her body. The same feeling that had forced her to flee into the woods that awful night.

With that knowledge Kelly's eyes widened before she started shouting "Get everyone off the fields and into the woods or into a solidly built building." As she hurried towards the medical tents.

"What I don't have to listen to your demands" Liesson said chasing after Kelly.

"You do when it is certain death for anyone person in that battlefield" Kelly shot back as she quickly help the surgeon heal the injured soldiers that were placed in the medical tent.

"And how on earth do you know that it is certain death for anyone on that field?" Liesson asked sarcastically.

"The feeling I'm feeling right now is the same exact one I felt right now is the same one I felt before my whole village and the bandits alike were killed." Kelly said while glare sending a glare towards Liesson. Liesson's eyes widen before she started to bark orders out to get everyone into cover.

The soldiers gave her weird looks but they quickly moved towards the tree lines or the cover of a building. The bandits looked confused before they quickly started to celebration thinking they had won. The distinct whistle of arrows filled the wind. Kelly quickly rushed the remaining people towards the smaller wooden building that was a sturdy build. As Kelly slammed the door closed with a grunt. The thunder of the down pour seemed to grow in magnitude as the arrow stuck the wooden roof. In the cramped room the men's faces started to grow paler as the screams from the open field reached the building. Kelly Stood still leaning against the door before she slowly shrank down to her knees. Liesson quickly took notice of this and weaved her way through the darkened room.

"Are you alright Miss?" Liesson said while gentle touching Kelly's shoulder. At those words the room went completely silent and all the men turned their heads towards their commander and savior. All they could hear was the soft pants coming from the kneeling figure. Liesson soft grip quickly turned to one where she was now holding up the other woman.

"Shit" was the only word that was uttered as Liesson slowly laid the unconscious Kelly on the dirt floor. Her once white armor was now slowly turning a dark crimson. At the center of the growing crimson stain stuck a whitish gold arrow. "Is the surgeon in here?" Liesson shouted quickly while looking quickly trying to spot the man. With no avail she quickly dropped to her knees and gentle around the wound. Blood quickly stained her hands and the crimson stain was still quickly growing.

The sound of armor hitting the ground made Liesson head snap up. "What on earth are you doing Curt?" Liesson said in a rushed tone. As the man took off his undershirt and throw the fabric at her. "Put that around the arrow shaft and hold it against the wound. It should help" Curt instructed. Quickly Liesson started doing what curt instructed and looked up to the nameless woman and said "Please don't die."


	4. Chapter 4

Two people could be seen pacing outside the wooden building. Other soldiers milled around the wreckage that once was their camp. Everyone seemed to be waiting for the same news that the two frantic pacers were.

"What's taking so goddamn long?!" Liesson said angrily and stopped pacing.

Curt quickly stopped and blinked really fast before saying, "The arrow struck her midsection. Due to that it could have cause massive internal bleeding and or damage to her stomach, intestines, spleen, bladder, or liver based on where the arrow hit," Liesson stared at him wide eyed and slacked jawed.

"What?" Curt asked looking over at Liesson with a confused face.

Liesson quickly shook her head stood up straighter and coughed awkwardly before saying, "Um Curt how do you know all of that kind of stuff?"

Curt's face turned several different shades red as he stuttered, "I…um ah….kinda was a doctor's apprentice for a while before the doctor cut me loose and I got ran out of town and came around here and joined the militia….and well…" He got cut off by the door opening to the wooden shed. Liesson quickly turned on her heels and almost sprinted to the blood covered surgeon. The surgeon stood there with his white coat sleeves stained bright crimson from blood. Along with stained parts of the front of his coat. He just stood with an emotionless faces as their new commander ran full tilt towards him. The whole camp seemed to go dead quiet as soon as the wooden door squeaked open.

As Liesson reached him the surgeon started to whisper something to her causing her face to go super white before they both quickly ducked back inside the wooden shack and the door squeaked shut once again.

The minutes seemed to tick by slowly turning into hours. Hushed whispers filled the camp but no one moved a muscle. If someone would have came to the camp if it wouldn't have been for those hush whispers it would look like a camp full of statues hardening in the sun after a rain storm.

The door squeaked open once again and Liesson came running back out the door. As she went past Curt she grabbed him by the arm and practically drug him behind her as she moved. She raced down the muddy arrow covered hill. Curt finally got his feet underneath him and got moving in the right direction Liesson was dragging him.

"Liesson what's going on? Where are we going?" Curt asked frankly.

"That person that saved us was poisoned we have to find a cure for it and that freaking surgeon doesn't have a goddamn clue what the poison is or where it comes from," Liesson said in a very rushed tone. Curt quickly dug his heels into the mud covered earth which almost caused Liesson to go head first into the mud.

"Liesson we can't just go running around blindly trying to find a cure. By the time we find a cure that way it might already be too late to save her. What are the symptoms she is having?"

Liesson blinked several times before saying "Eh…it's like a black substance that seems to be following her veins. It seems to have started around her arrow wound and spider web out from there. She has a lowish fever and her face seems to make me think she's in a great deal of pain."

With every symptom listed off Curt's face seemed to pale more and more, "I think I know what poison we are dealing with it is," He said barely of a whisper looking towards the ground. Liesson's eyes lit up and she almost started jumping for joy.

"That means we can get the cure and be done that much quicker," she said with excitement in her eyes.

Curt quickly shook his head and his eyes never left the mud covered earth, "The poison comes from the plant called Crimson Leafwhip. It's a carnivorous plant that usually preys on small rodents and other small mammals. It's found in Cinderstone Moor. The locals there have grown immune to the poison due to the rituals for those that are coming of age. In the rituals it is given in small amounts and due to the small amounts, it allows the body to become immune to the poison. But it is very fatal if given to in large amounts. It usually gives the victim six days to live if it is not cured. But due to the symptoms you said it seem to have been accelerated maybe by the blood loss or the extreme injury to her midsection. But either way we have now three days to get to Cinderstone Moor and back."

"So I'll just go and grab us some horses," Liesson said before turning around to run back up the hill. Before she could take a step away a hand grabbed her shoulder.

"Going by horse will take too long. We would have to go through Halcyona, Marianople, and Two Crowns before we would even hit the border of Cinderstone Moor. That trip alone is three days long and that's not counting the trip through Cinderstone.

"Then how are we supposed to get there fast enough!" Liesson screamed and threw her hands up in frustration.

Curt quickly took his hand off her shoulder and stepped away from her before looking back at the ground. "We would have to go over by boat to Cinderstone Moor well technically Seachild Wharf. I have a friend there who may be able to get us a cure without too much conflict," He said.

"Wait, how do you know all this? All of this information. Everything we know about you is from when you dragged your sorry ass into our village up until now! We know nothing about you or your hidden past! How do I know that this so called cure is even a real cure and not some other poison? You say you were an apprentice to a doctor but why? Please explain to us why he decide to cut you loose and then you get ran out of town?!" Liesson yelling had caused a crowd to form around the entrance of the wrecked camp. Liesson's back may have been facing the crowd but all of their faces were the same. They all held anger. Curt's head shoot up when she started to ask those accusing questions. He quickly started to back up away from her and all the angered soldiers behind her.

"What's the matter "Curt"?" Liesson made quotation marks around his name, before continuing "If that's even your real name," she sneered walking towards him. Curt kept walking backwards with a scared expression on his face. He was suddenly grabbed from behind and arm wrapped around his shoulders and bare chest holding in in place. Liesson quickly closed the gap between her and the now struggling Curt. "Now you are going to tell us what we want to hear and we won't have to kill you," Liesson said is a sickly sweet tone while pulling her small dagger from her belt.

"You wouldn't…" he started before freezing as the cold metal of the blade pressed against his bare chest.

"Try us Curt," Liesson responded in a livid tone.

"Standing here won't…" Curt started before he gritted his teeth as Liesson dragged the blade across his chest. The new dash took nearly no time to cause blood to slowly flowed down his chest leaving him gasping at the stinging sensation. As Liesson ended her cut and went to talk but was interrupted by an arrow flying over her shoulder. The men holding Curt dropped him in the mud unceremoniously and grabbed for their swords only to find them missing. They quickly moved to be next to next to their new commander.

A murmur went over the soldiers behind them. Liesson and the other two men turned around and everyone went silent.

As Liesson went to turn around both the other men slumped forward and landed with a heavy thud on the mud stricken ground. A sword tip was barely touching the skin on her exposed neck.

"No one hurts my brother." A husky voice said in a deadly tone beneath a jet black hood with blood red lining.


	5. Chapter 5

No one dared to move under the new arriver's furious glare. The seconds seemed to tick by slowly before the figure turned towards Curt. As he turned, the sun hit his blue eyes, causing them to turn a slight shade of red around his pupil.

"Curt, how hurt are you?"

"Daniel, stop! We don't need to anger the people here any further than they already are!" Curt said, gritting his teeth. He had started to put pressure on the open cut, but blood still appeared through the creases in his hand.

"You might want to listen to him if I were you" Liesson snapped at Daniel.

Daniel's head whipped back to face Liesson with a dangerous look in his eyes. "I am simply holding a dagger to your throat and I have done nothing wrong. But you, you on the other hand have brought a dagger to a fellow soldier under you command and proceeded to question him about irreverent info and when you did not get the answer you wanted, you decided to cut him!" Daniel yelled in her face. The words echoed off the woods and the hills surrounding them.

"Daniel! That's enough! Why are you even here? I told you when you left Seachild Wharf never to look for me again!" Curt yelled behind Daniel causing him to flinch. Daniel look out of the corner of his eye towards his brother before looking back towards Liesson. With his free hand, he dug into one of his pockets. All eyes watched him dig through his pockets, waiting to see what he was doing.

A few seconds later, he pulled out a wrapped bandage and threw it over his shoulder. It hit Curt square in the chest. "I wasn't exactly looking for you. Your trail went cold two years ago when you left Marianople and I couldn't find a lead anywhere. But that's not why I'm here. I'm looking for a friend. Her name is Kelly." Everyone just stared at him in confusion.

"That's not much to go on." Curt mumbled as he wrapped his chest. He hissed as it somewhat tugged the cut. Daniel quickly shot him a death glare before continuing on, "She's about five foot seven without any shoes on. Has complete white hair cut short, blue green eyes, a healer and usually wears white armor. Is that more helpful?"

Everyone's eyes went to the ground and everything went dead quiet. The only people still looking up were Daniel, Curt, and Liesson.

"So I'm going out on a limb and saying you have seen her by the look on everyone's face." He said irritated with a low chuckle and a dark glare towards Liesson as he continued, "What, did you slice her throat too, 'Commander'. What? Don't like strangers in your town or even close to it?" he sneered.

"I did nothing to her!" Liesson yelled back, anger showing clearly on her face.

"How do I even know if that is the goddamn truth" Daniel shouted back "The way I see it…"

"Daniel! Kelly… Is alive but only for about three more days. She was shot by a gold and white arrow that seemed to be laced with the poison from the Crimson Leafwhip plant. I was explaining that we had to go by sea because it is the fastest route to get there and that's when this happened," He gestured to his wrapped chest before he continued "And here we are now….." he said as he shifted from one foot to the other.

"You stood here torturing a person while one of the best healers on this stupid continent is dying! He knows what the hell he is talking about! But no, you can't trust him because he does not want to speak about his past?" Daniel yelled. He sheathed his dagger and spun on his heels as he stormed off.

"Dammit! Daniel where the hell are you going now!?" Curt yelled after him.

"To get my goddamn ship ready to fucking go!" was Daniel's response.

"Son of a bitch!" Curt quickly grabbed Liesson wrist and dragged her behind him as he chased after his brother. Liesson scrambled to get her feet moving in the right direction as Curt picked up the pace into a run.

"Why are we chasing after a goddamn madman?!" Liesson asked.

"He will take off to get the cure with or without us and I rather be on the ship." Curt rushed.

"Then why on earth are you dragging me then!" Liesson said, trying to get her free her arm from his grip.

"Liesson, she got hurt on our watch. Trying to help our people. The very least we can do is go and get the cure. Plus, if Daniel goes by himself, he's more than likely to either get killed or kill someone over there…"

"You can get the cure then. Why do I have to go?" Liesson asked still trying to get free. Curt came to an abrupt stop and sighed heavily before he said "I can't be seen by anyone over at Seachild, the Villa or the Wharf… If anyone were to see me at all over there, I'm as good as dead. They have orders to kill me on sight…" his voice trailed off.

Liesson blinked "So I'm the only one who can get the cure peacefully…." She thought for a moment. "Fine, I'll help you. But only if you tell me more about you past. Deal?"

Curt's shoulders tensed up. He gave a sharp nod before he took off on a dead run again. As they raced through the town, he whistled loudly, scaring some small children. The flapping of wings brought yelps from other kids as a dark brown barn owl darted out of an open window.

"Randel, go sit on Daniel's head." Curt said, causing the owl to dart off towards the docks as Daniel's name came off his lips. Seconds later you could hear faint shouts "What the…Randel stop it! I'm not a pecking post!"

"That should buy us some time to catch up a little." Curt mumbled.

As they neared the docks, they could see Daniel struggling to get his cloak back from Randel's talons. As he continued to struggle, he tripped over several fishing nets. As Daniel fell, Randel let go off the cloak with a squawk, causing Daniel to fall backwards off the dock and into a docked schooner. "Damn bird…" Daniel muttered as Curt and Liesson arrived.

Curt let out a low chuckle as he jumped off the dock to help Daniel up. "That's why he's my bird and not yours." Liesson stood awkwardly rubbing her arm and wrist while slowly looking around the dock. "So um, is this your ship?"

Both brothers turned quickly to look back up at her. Daniel smirked "This thing is most definitely NOT my ship." He said as he did a backflip off the side of the ship into the crystal clear blue water.

Curt busted out laughing before he too jumped over the edge of the ship. As he resurfaced, he noticed that Liesson was still standing on the docks. "Come on Liesson! If you don't come right now you won't be able to come with us." Curt called out to her. Liesson took a couple steps backwards blinking. "In my armor?" She asked slightly terrified.

"Don't worry, I'll help you if you start to struggle." He called. She blinked again before taking a shaky breath. She closed her eyes, and took a running jump into the warm water.

Daniel had already swam out to deeper water as Curt helped Liesson swim out. As they swam closer, a portal opened and another schooner slowly appeared. The schooner itself was made of wood that looked jet black, complete with black sails. "Now this love is my ship."

Unknown to the trio out in the water, two figures dressed in matching black cloaks with a dark red symbol, watched them. One stood only a couple feet from where Liesson was standing before she jumped into the water. Their dagger was held loosely. Platinum blonde hair slowly fluttered out from the inside of the hood as she stared out towards the black schooner.

"We'll get rid of them soon enough. Our lord doesn't have to worry" Her partner said, walking up behind her. She quickly glared at him.

The villagers slowly started to crowd around the docks, watching the black schooner. The child laughed and pointed as their parent's stood there watching slightly terrified.

As more of the villagers gathered on to the docks the mysterious man whispered, "We should go." His eyes darting from face to face.

A voice shouted over the growing crowd "Micheal?" But the two people had already disappeared into the shadows.


	6. Chapter 6

"Randel come on get down here! Come on I really need to send this letter to Gracie!" Curt yelled for the eighteenth time. Randel just simple hopped around the top of the mast squawking at him. But this time he flipped his tail and Daniel yelled "Don't even think about crapping on my ship!" Randel made the same motion but ended up getting smacked across the ass with a rope.

Randel let out a loud squawk before he took off into the air and turned to dive bomb the assaulter.

"Son of a bitch!" Daniel muttered as he dodged the bird. Curt leaped forward trying to catch the dive bombing bird. The fight between catching and dodging the attacking bird took about ten minutes to finish. It ended when Randel smoothly glide over to Liesson and landed on her shoulder.

She jumped slightly at the contact due to her zoning out and watching the slowly fading lights of Bluegrass.

"Of course he picks the girl" Daniel said breathless

"What the hell is that…." She turned angrily before the words died on her tongue.

During the struggle with Randel, Daniel's hood had fallen off reviling his face. His chin length black hair was pulled back into a ponytail but a few stands hung loose framing his face. The pale blue tips of his hair seemed to make his crystal blue eyes stand out even more than before. His skin was a soft caramel color with high cheek bones.

"He got the beauty and I got nothing but smarts…" Curt mumbled as he grabbed Randel of Liesson's shoulder seemed to break up the starring spell.

Daniel's face pulled down into a frown before asking "What was that Curt?"

Curt's head shot up from his writing. "Hu?" Curt asked blinking.

"I just thought you said something is all…." Daniel trailed off. Curt just sighed as he tied a letter to Randel's right leg before he pushed Randel into the air. Where he took off in the direction of Seachild Villa.

The water lapped lazily against the side of the ship as the wind slowly pushed them towards their destination. Curt stayed on the railing staring off in the direction where Randel had flown off to.

"What's that coming towards us?" Liesson asked causing Curt to turn around and look to where she was pointing.

Just above the horizon in front of the setting sun a black dot slowly started to grow. The black sails started to come into view as it came closer.

"Shit…" Daniel said walking towards the rail next to Liesson.

"What is…" Liesson went to ask.

"Pirates." Was all Curt said from the other side of the ship. Liesson turned and glared at him before she went back to focus on the other ship. Curt stared at her back in disbelief before he just turned back to his railing. He gently learned on the railing watching the calm dark waters slowly turn angry and lap hungrily at the side of the ship. He just waited for his brother to say when to jump.

He thought of everything he had done. He failed to save his parents from the guards, failed to watch over his older brother, he was chased out of town and classed a murderer, the girl he fancied hated his guts. Silent tears fell down his face and hit the planks.

No one noticed. All they did was wait and watched the pirate ship slowly make its way towards them.

"Come on just a little bit closer." Daniel muttered.

"What are you…." Liesson started confused before getting cut off with "Now!". Daniel grabbed Liesson by the waist and jumped overboard into the water. Two splashes on either side of the ship hit at the same time. Liesson struggled to get free from Daniel's grip as he dragged her under the boat. He pushed her under the netting part of the ship for air.

"What the hell was…" Liesson said gasping for air.

"Take a deep breath." Daniel said in a rush. "What..." was all she said before she was dragged under again. Silence fell over the group. Liesson struggled to stay afloat in her heavy armor. Daniel quickly grabbed her shoulder pads and lifted her a little to help.

Seconds later two pairs of boats hit the deck above. A heavy pair of footsteps seemed to stomp around on the deck. The other seemed to move almost soundly around the ship.

"Belle stop making so much noise you will get us in trouble…again" A male voice echoed angrily under the water. "It's a waste of time searching stranded ships the only thing on this one is bird feathers!" A high pitched voice answered back. At that moment Liesson started to struggle for air. Slowly panic started to rise in her eyes. Daniel quickly grabbed her head and kissed her forcing air into her mouth so she wouldn't panic.

Above deck the heavy footed 'Belle' person stomped towards the mast. "What's this weird symbol?"

An angry male voice answered back "What are you talking about…" there was a pause "We got to go"

"Why?"

"Because"

"That's not an answer Jack" "Fine don't tell but you know the Captain isn't going to be happy"

"Just go already I'll deal with her later!" Everything went quiet as the heavy footsteps disappeared from the deck.

Seconds later three light knocks echoed above Daniel's head. He pushed away from Liesson and knocked back in the same spot. After he finished he grabbed Liesson's wrist and dragged her back under the netting. Minutes of gasping for breath they ducked back under the water.

Daniel helped pull Liesson back up on to the boat. A rough cough caught his attention as he wiped his head in the direction it came from.

Curt was on his hands and knees trying to catch his breath and get the water out of his lungs. Panic rose in Daniel as he rushed to his brother.

"I'm…. fine…. just… need… a…. second…" Curt said between coughs. Daniel quickly picked him up and moved him so he was sitting against the mast. Liesson stood silent in the background watching the two brothers with sorrow in her eyes. Minutes slowly past by with dead silence in the air. Soon the sound of fluttering wings caught their attention. Randel softly landed next to Curt and snuggled against him with a letter attached to his left leg. Curt slowly untied it and petted the bird as he skimmed over the letter. His hand froze in place that he was petting Randel with and he looked up scared before saying "We have an issue..." That caught everyone's attention.


End file.
